Taking placing in 1919, the Inter-Allied Games were the first major international sporting event after the socio-political upheaval of World War One. Hosted by American General John Pershing (as seen in Source A) in the suburbs of the French capital Paris, the Games were fundamentally tied to these two increasingly hostile nations. Continue reading “The Fraught Relationship Between the USA and France”

Robert Simpson was an American Army officer and track & field athlete. Active in the early part of the 20thcentury, he specialized in hurdles and helped the Americans solidify their track & field dominance in the 1919 Inter-Allied games. Continue reading “Robert Simpson”

Robert LeGendre was born on January 7, 1898 in Lewiston Maine. After a year of studying at Hebron Academy, he enrolled at Georgetown University where he balanced playing two sports – football as a half-back and baseball as a pitcher. Continue reading “Robert LeGendre”

The image shown demonstrates the significance of Americans at the Inter-allied games but also the importance of boxing in the games. The boxer shown is Johnny Fundy an American Boxer who fought in the Inter-allied Games but also had over sixty professional fights throughout his career. Continue reading “Boxing”

While attending the University of Southern California, Charley Paddock ran track and field for the Trojans until graduating in 1922. From 1918-1919 during World War I, he served in the United States Field Artillery. Paddock became a lieutenant in the army and upon his homecoming he became the most famous track athlete of the 1920s. Continue reading “Charley Paddock”

Of the many competitions held at the 1919 Inter Allied Games, baseball holds a fascinating position. Given the location and time period of the event, baseball was especially relevant to the United States and its post World War I foreign policy. As one of the nation’s most popular sports, Americans took great pride in the competition and we were eager to pass along their adoration for the unique game.